In fintstern Rusland, in a vinkl kheder
Zitst dort gefangen der Tsar Nikolai
Mit im zitsn oykh zayne fintstere reder
Zey zingen a kloglid vos Rusland iz fray
“Ay ay ay ay ay ay ay”

Avek iz di fintstere nakht
Tsebrokhn iz undzer makht
Rusland iz yetst gor a naye
Keyn eyner vet zayn unterdrikt
Di shklafn zey zaynen shoyn fraye
Der yid is gevorn baglikt

Dos lidele, mayn yid, iz a nevue
Mekoyem gevorn iz Goldfadns vort
A soykher vestu zayn fun holts un fun tvue
An Erets-Yisroel vet zayn yeder ort
“Yo yo yo yo yo yo yo”

Du vest zayn raykh, mayn yidele
Freylekh klingen vet dayn lidele
Rusland iz yetst gor a naye
Keyn eyner vet zayn unterdrikt
Di shklafn zey zaynen shoyn fraye
Der yid is gevorn baglikt

S’iz gekumen di tsayt, vos der yidisher moyekh
Vet gebn zayn lere tsu der gantse velt
Az nit militer, un nit mitn koyekh
Ken men bazign un vern a held
“Yo yo yo yo yo yo yo”

Nor mit gayst un mit getlikhn shayn
Ken men opshafn yedn shmerts un payn
Rusland iz yetst gor a naye
Keyn eyner vet zayn unterdrikt
Di shklafn zey zaynen shoyn fraye
Der yid is gevorn baglikt



[In dark Russia, in a little cell
Sits Tsar Nikolai, imprisoned.
With him also sit his dark advisors.
They sing the blues: Russia is free!


Gone is the dark night,
Broken are the ruling powers,
Russia is now new,
No one will be oppressed,
The slaves are now free,
What great fortune for the Jew.

This song, my little Jew, is a prophecy,
Goldfaden’s promise has come true,
You will be a merchant of lumber and grain,
Every place will be an Eretz Yisrael (Zion)


You will be rich, my little Jew
Your little song will ring with joy
Russia is now new,
No one will be oppressed,
The slaves are now free,
What great fortune for the Jew.

The time has come when the Jewish Genius
Will teach the whole world a lesson:
That not with the military, and not by might,
Can one find victory and glory


Only with spirit and godly illumination
Can one defeat all pain and suffering
Russia is now new,
No one will be oppressed,
The slaves are now free,
What great fortune for the Jew